Microsoft to merge MSN with Yahoo? - and where would that leave Google?

The Wall Street Journal today produced a fascinating article on the likelihood of Microsoft teaming up/merging MSN with Yahoo. The combination could well make a lot of sense and could even assuage Microsoft's currently depressed shareholders (after all their share price has hardly moved these last few years).

Yahoo's portal, content approach, brand and user base would justify and leverage Microsoft's huge investments and bets on search technology and ad networks. And both Microsoft and Yahoo are losing their respective battles with Google, while Google just seems to get mightier.

Of course, should MSN and Yahoo get together in some way shape or form then it may put pressure on Google and AOL to do some kind of deal. AOL certainly seems to be struggling under the stewardship of Time Warner.

And while we're on the topic of merging Internet giants - how about combining Ebay with Amazon. Just think about it for a while - really, the idea may even grow on you.